The present invention relates to a machine for the production of dough mixes, in particular dough mixes for foodstuffs.
There are known in the technical field kneading machines for the production of dough in batches, of the type for example illustrated in the European patent application No. EP-A-1676629, filed in the name of the present applicant. The solution described in this application envisages a planetary kneading machine comprising: a tank; one or more kneading implements that can turn about the respective vertical axes, which are set at a distance from a central vertical shaft; a planetary structure for supporting the kneading implements, on which each kneading implement is mounted so that it can turn about its own axis, the planetary supporting structure being in turn mounted so that it can turn about the central shaft of the tank on a structure for supporting the machine; first means for controlling rotation of the planetary structure about the central shaft of the tank; and second means for controlling rotation of each kneading implement about its own axis. Even though kneading machines of this type are able to exert a highly efficient kneading action, they present the disadvantage of having a complex and extremely delicate structure. In fact, the planetary supporting structure that is mounted so that it can turn about the central shaft of the tank is subject to considerable stress during the kneading action and is liable to failure above all in points corresponding to the members for support and transmission of the motion.
Moreover known in the art are kneading machines for foodstuff products of the type described, for example, in the European patent application No. EP-A-1707052, filed in the name of the present applicant. This document describes a kneading machine comprising a substantially cylindrical tank that turns about an axis thereof, and at least one kneading implement that can turn within the tank, about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the tank. A solution of this type has a structure that is more robust than that of the solution described previously, but is afflicted, however, by the problems inherent in the fact of producing a rotary tank to which it is extremely complicated to associate means for controlling the temperature that envisage a circulation of diathermic fluid about the walls of the tank itself, or else means for controlling the pressure that comprise means of air-tight sealing.